Ion source



June 9, 1942. J. S LEPIAN 2,285,622

' ION SOURCE Filed June 14, 1940 High fi'eqaency Scarce Ig' Va/v GasBottle 7 High Frequency Source INVENTOR WITNESSES: I

Joseph Slap/a n.

Q I BY 7% W Patented June 9, 1942 101v souaon Joseph Slepian,Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Westingliouse Electric ManufacturingCompany, East Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationJune 14, 1940, Serial No. 340,556

8 Claims.

My invention relates-to an ion generator, and particularly to means forincreasing the eiiiciency of such generators.

In the operation of certain devices. it is desirable to have aasource ofhigh energy ions for use in the operation of the device. Such ionsthrough the capillary opening where they. may

do useful work.

According to my invention, the ionizing discharge is caused to takeplace within the capillary opening where it ionizes a stream of gas,passing through the opening which carries substantially all of the ionsthus generated into the space where they can do useful work. The iongenerator according to my invention comprises a suitable dischargevessel constructed of insulating material having a" capillary openingthrough which a suitable ionizable gas flows into the working space. Asuitable electrode is provided within the generator chamber, and asecond electrode is provided in capacitive relation to the insulatingmaterialforming the capillary A high frequency discharge is. thenmaintained between the two electrodes so discharge tube.

thatthe discharge flows through the capillary andiohizes the gaseousmedium passing therethroug having an outlet capillary tube of relativelysmall size which communicates with the suitable working passage hereinillustrated as an ion accelerator or socall d atom-smasher, 3. A smallinlet passage or so-called leak 4 is provided in the side walls of thegenerator chamber I, and a suitable ionizing gas,-which may be air,hydrogen, argon, etc., is introduced through this leak 4, so that thereis a flow of ionizable gas through the capillary outlet tube ,2 into theworking chamber 3 to which ions are to be supplied. If a gas other thanair is to be utilized as the working medium, a suitable container 5controlled by any suitable valve 6 may be connected to the leak 4 in thegenerating chamber I. In any event, the flow of gas through the leak 4is controlled .to provide sufficientpressure in the generator chamber Ito cause a flow of the gaseous medium through the capillary tube 2. 'Asuitable discharge electrode 1 is placed within the generator chamber I,and a second electrode 8 is placed in capacitive relation to theexternal portion of the capillary tube 2; preferably, this secondelectrode 8 being formed as a collar tightly surrounding thecapillary'tube 2.

The capillary tube 2 is constructed ofanlnsulating material of highdielectric strength,- such as quartz, and is made of a minimum thicknessto increase the capacitive discharge efiect of the second electrode 8. Asuitable high-frequency source III is connected to these two electrodesl and 8 to produce a high-frequency discharge through the capillaryopening 2. This It is, therefore, an object of my invention to' providea high efliciency ion generator.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an electron generatorin which the ions are generated-in a gaseous medium as they flow fromthe generator.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of an electron generator shownappliedto an ion accelerating device; and J Fig. 2 is a similarillustration showing a plurality of ion generatorsapplied to an electricgenerating device.

In the illustrative embodiment of my invention according to Fig. 1, theion generator comprises a hollow chamber I made of suitable insulatingmaterial, such as glass or quartz, and

discharge ionizes the gasfiowing throughthe capillary 2; the ions beingcarried along by a the flowing gas so that substantially all are car- Inthe embodiment according to Fig. -2, a

plurality of ion generators are shown connected to an electric generatorII in which gases of combustion are expanded to low pressure and highvelocity and then ionized as they pass into the working chamber of thegenerator. Because of the large number of ions required in the electricgenerator, I prefer to utilize a plurality of such ion generators. Whileit is indicated above that I may use any suitable ionizing gas, I preferto use deuterium (heavy hydrogen) as the ionizable medium where neutronsare desired to effect nuclear transformations.

In general, the formula for determining the constants of the variousportions of the generator is as follows: =capacity in farads x appliedvoltage X 2: frequency; the capacity:

whene A is the area in square centimeters of the active surface of thecapillary electrode 8; c is the dielectric constant of the capillarymaterial; and d is the diameter in centimeters of the capillary opening2.

Assuming that one milliampere of current is required and selecting acapillary wall thickness of one millimeter and applied voltage of 10,000

F=l2,500. cycles.

While for purposes of description I have shown and described a specificembodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that changes andmodifications can be made therein without descom of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

parting from the spirit of my invention or the 1. An ion generator forsupplying high energy ions to a low pressure ion consuming devicecomprising a vitreous chamber, a source of heavy hydrogen connected tosaid chamber, a' capillary tube outlet of dielectric material connectingsaid chamber to the consuming device, an electrode in said chamber, anelectrode adjacent said outlet and a-source of high frequency powerconnected to said electrodes for producing a high frequency 3. An iongenerator comprising a chamber of insulating .material, a tubular outletof small cross section area, said tubular outlet being constructed ofinsulating material, nieans for' causing a flow of ionizable gas outwardthrough said tubular outlet, an electrode in' said chamberQan electrodein capacitive relation to said outlet, and means for'producing a highfrequency discharge between said electrodes for ionizing the gas flowingthrough said tubular outlet.

4. Anion generator comprising an insulating chamber, a tube ofinsulating material forming a tubular discharge opening in said chamber,

' means for introducing an ionizable gas into said chamber at suflicientpressure .to insure the gas flowing through said discharge opening,- anelec-' trode'external to said discharge opening, an electrode in saidchamber and a source of high'frequency power connected to-saidelectrodes for producing a high frequency discharge for ionizing the gaspassing through said discharge opening." I

5. An ion generator for producing ions for use external to the iongenerator comprising a chamber composed of insulating material, a leakinthe side wall of said chamber to admit ionizable fluid thereto, acapillary tube of insulating material forming an outlet from saidchamber and means for producing a high frequency discharge for ionizingthe fluid passing through said capillary outlet.

6. An ion generator comprising a chamber,

;means for admitting gas into said chamber, a

capillary tube of insulating material forming an outlet for permittinggas to flow from said chamber and means for ionizing the gas passingthrough the capillary tube.

'7. An ion, generator comprising a chamber,

means for admitting gas into said chamber, a capillary tube ofdielectric material forming an outlet for permitting gas to flowfromsaid chamber, and high frequency discharge means for ionizing the gaspassing through the capillary 8. An ion generator comprising a capillarytube of insulating material, means for causing a flow of ionizable gasthrough said capillary tube and high frequency discharge means forionizing the gas passing through said capillary tube.

JOSEPH SLEPIAN.

